title: [Correct and timely referral of patients to centers of reference].
abstract: The correct and timely referral of patients, from peripheral hospitals, without specialized surgical care, namely in hand surgery, like Plastic Surgery or Orthopedics is of crucial importance. The authors report the case of a patient that presents in the Plastic Surgery Department with a chronic infection of the hypothenar eminence of the right hand. The clinical history suggests the persistence of a foreign body, despite two previous surgical procedures for removal, performed in the residence hospital. Surgical exploration was performed and the foreign body was removed without complications. The intent of this presentation is to alert for the importance of the timely referral of patients that can benefit of specialized care, namely of plastic surgery, when this is no possible in the residence hospital, in view of better health care and better patient treatment.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Cirurgia Plástica Reconstrutiva Estética, Maxilo-Facial e Unidade de Queimados, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valença-Filipe
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
mesh_terms: D061345:Early Medical Intervention; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000601:surgery*; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors